SINGAPORE — Jurong GRC Member of Parliament (MP) Tan Wu Meng was assaulted by a 32-year-old man during his regular Meet-the-People session (MPS) on Monday (April 16) night, but managed to escape with minor injuries to his arm and neck.

The assailant, who has been arrested for criminal trespass and is being investigated for voluntarily causing hurt to the MP, will be charged in court on Wednesday.

TODAY understands that the attacker has a history of drug-related offences. Dr Tan suffered bruises on his arm and abrasions on his neck, and received treatment at the National University Hospital (NUH).

The MP told TODAY that the assailant was not a familiar face at his MPS, but records showed that the man had sought his help for a case around mid-2017. Dr Tan declined to discuss the case, citing confidentiality reasons.

In a Facebook post on Tuesday, Dr Tan said the individual had given a “preliminary indication about his troubles during registration, and had brought some documentation about the problems he faced”.

Recounting the incident, Dr Tan said the attack took place around 10pm on Monday at Block 334 Clementi Avenue 2, where he holds his MPS.

The man rushed into the open area of the MPS where Dr Tan was speaking with another resident, and started hitting the MP with his fists. Dr Tan said he fell to the floor and tried to shield his face.

“I didn’t see him coming,” he added. “At first I didn’t know what was happening but my first instinct was (to ensure) the safety of the other residents and volunteers.”

Several residents and volunteers managed to restrain the assailant, who was later led away by the police. Dr Tan said he was keen to finish seeing other residents, but was advised by the police and the Singapore Civil Defence Force to go for a medical evaluation.

As the NUH doctors had diagnosed his injuries as minor ones, he returned to his Clementi MPS venue just before midnight to finish writing some appeal letters.

Dr Tan said that he had already written an appeal letter for the assailant the night of the incident. He added: “But whatever the outcome under the law, I hope he can get back on track and (I will) try to help him to do so”.

Commenting on the incident, Deputy Prime Minister Tharman Shanmugaratnam said the incident, while unfortunate, was “completely unacceptable”.

“But as Wu Meng says, we will find a way to help this young man get back in life eventually,” added Mr Tharman, the anchor-minister for Jurong GRC, in a Facebook post.

“I know Wu Meng puts much personal effort into every individual case, every resident who needs support. He will not be deterred.”

People’s Action Party (PAP) organising secretary Chan Chun Sing, who is Minister in the Prime Minister’s Office, also noted that Dr Tan’s “calm handling” of the incident helped to reassure his volunteers and residents.

“This is a stark reminder of the risks that our MPs have to manage in the course of our public duties,” said Mr Chan in a media statement.  As police investigations are ongoing, he urged “everyone not to speculate and to leave the matter to the relevant authorities.”

There have been previous cases of MPs being attacked in public. In 2009, a disgruntled resident poured paint thinner on then-Ang Mo Kio GRC MP Seng Han Thong and set him on fire. Mr Seng survived the attack, but required skin grafts. He has since retired from politics.

In a statement, the Singapore Police Force said that any “threats, intimidation or violence against anyone, even more so against public servants or MPs performing their duties, will not be tolerated and offenders will be firmly dealt with.”

Anyone convicted of criminal trespass may be punished with imprisonment of up to three months, or a fine of up to $1,500, or both. Those convicted of voluntarily causing hurt may be jailed for up to two years, or slapped with a fine of $5,000, or both.

NO ADDITIONAL SECURITY MEASURES

MPs whom TODAY spoke to acknowledged that security arrangements at MPS are for the most part, done on an ad-hoc basis, and that they rely on volunteers to keep a lookout for any signs of trouble. However, they do not plan to beef up security at their MPS sessions as they felt that that the incident was a “one-off event”.

The Workers’ Party declined comment when approached by TODAY.

While there are no “specific security arrangements”, Pasir Ris-Punggol GRC MP Zainal Sapari said there is a registration system in place to ensure the MPS participants are Singaporean residents.

While the volunteers are not specially trained in self-defence, they help keep a lookout during MPS. They also step in to intervene if residents “get agitated or upset”, such as when they learn that their appeals are not successful. A police officer from the neighbourhood police post will join Mr Zainal on house visits as part of their community policing as well.  

Experienced volunteers are also roped in to keep a lookout for anyone who might be abusive or drunk, said Mountbatten MP Lim Biow Chuan. “If anything turns ugly, they know they can turn to the police”, he added, though he rarely encounters such cases.

A PAP MP who did not want to be identified said she had witnessed occasional “tense situations” — which were not specifically targeted at her — when residents became aggressive due to issues such as mental illness or drug history.  

“It is important to stay calm at all times, and ensure the safety of our volunteers... We will be more vigilant and call for help should a situation escalate”, she said.

Pointing out that it is a “risk” every MP has to bear while doing their duty, Mr Zainal said: “If we take all these safety measures, we might come across as being unapproachable, so we have to strike a balance.”